Ideas, Thoughts, Recommendations, I'll Take Anything

[kappykaplan]

This was the epitome of simplicity .............

This is what I have on my 40-yr-old boat.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

This is what I have on my 40-yr-old boat.

What posses these dumbasses to abandon something which works perfectly and get into something which doesn't, surpasses all understanding. Maybe it looks better, but isn't worth the powder to blow it to hell.

 

[kappykaplan]

What posses these dumbasses to abandon something which works perfectly and get into something which doesn't, surpasses all understanding.

Great question for which I have no answer!

 

[DArcy]

I'm just spit balling, the only thing I can see that would make it a lot harder to loosen than tighten would be the fingers flexing as you tighten it. They may twist in a way that causes them to jam and resist the opposite rotation. That may not help you since I cannot think of an easy fix.

I sure do like my old hatches with the knob to tighten in place. The small hatches in the salon have struts with enough friction to just hold them, no tightening at all.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

This was the epitome of simplicity .............

Thanks for the idea but I'm afraid it belongs to a long ago and far better design.

Alas, at 79 soon I have long reached an age where a lot of stuff seemed a far better design a long time ago.

 

[jviss]

I recommend replacing the strut with a Multi-position gas friction strut.

From the website:

Friction Locking Compression Gas Struts
Our Stop and Stay, and Stop and Stay+ products work by counterbalancing the weight of the application over the full stroke of the gas strut. This process enables precise, multi‐position positioning at all times. Unlike a standard gas strut, when correctly set it will not move the application, but simply support it in the existing position. In doing so, this gives the user complete control over the position of the object and how it is moved at all times.

The Stop and Stay, and Stop and Stay+ range of products are Friction Locking Compression Gas Struts that use the principle of counterbalancing to keep the weight of the application evenly distributed over the full stroke of the gas strut. This allows for precise, multi-position positioning at all times, without the concerns of the object moving out of place.

Camloc Motion Control

 

[jviss]

If you are hell-bent on fixing what you have, first, I suspect there is some kind of galling on the plastic pieces that screw together. I would try removing and disassembling the strut, and working the screw part of the collet with some aggressive polishing or lapping compound.

 

[jviss]

This was the epitome of simplicity .............

View attachment 217548

.................. with the screwed lock mechanism. WHY did they have to change it to a new and sleek design which just about kills you when you want to release the rod ?

Thanks for the idea but I'm afraid it belongs to a long ago and far better design.

I had these on my Catalina 36. They work, when they work. But they are not perfect. On two of mine the screws were seized - corrosion between the stainless screw and aluminum body. One plastic knob broke off trying to tighten the screw! The solution was some new parts and re-assmbly with Tef-Gel.